MEKENI Food Corporation is hurting in terms of its sales in pork-based processed food as an effect of the African Swine Fever (ASF) scare that persists until now. Despite such, the Kapampangan meat-processing firm is doing a good deed of resorting to product recall to prove its sincerity to the public in ensuring the quality of their products.
Such good deed is not easy since they have to face losses in sales. In fact, it can be considered as heroic the recall of its pork-based processed food after the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) has conducted clinical tests on Mekeni's products such as hotdogs, longganisa and tocino and found to contain ASF viral DNA. The deed is simply laudable and worthy of praise.
Mekeni has recently released its statement that it shall cooperate in the government's efforts in stopping the spread of the ASF and the assurance that the public would not consume food products from infected pork. This manifests its care for its consumers and deserves appreciation.
Mekeni is food processing company that started from backyard micro enterprise and grew into a well-established company that even exports beef, chicken and pork processed food in several countries today. Such growth is a proof of the quality and good taste of its products that it is being patronized locally and abroad for many years now.
The company is also involved in many civic-oriented activities and helps the local community in Porac where it is based in terms of livelihood, micro-entrepreneurship and other developmental activities. It has given the province an identity and a name in meat processing here and abroad. The word mekeni itself is a kapampangan which literally means "come here", exhibiting the kapampangan hospitality.
While the industry on pork meat products is hurting, Mekeni simply takes the ASF as a mere passing storm that will later on dissipate and its effects subside. This is kapampangan resiliency and the spirit and will to bounce back after the storm. After all, the Garcia's of Mekeni headed by Prudencio or "Pruds" are full-blooded kapampangans who bounced back after the Mt. Pinatubo eruption.
A friend of mine whose number of backyard pigs became infected with the ASF also cried hard when the infection hits their town in San Luis. His backyard business started with a loan until such were settled and his small business expanded. Although his finances and business suffered due to his dead pigs, he uttered: "Salese mu rin". His fighting spirit is more deadly than the ASF.
Meanwhile, President Rodrigo Duterte has already ordered government agencies to carry out measures to contain the spread of the ASF in the country and extend aid to the hog industry.
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